Applying for a Thai police clearance certificate inside Thailand, then translating it for Australia
In short
Applicants inside Thailand lodge with the Police Clearance Service Centre of the Special Branch Bureau, Royal Thai Police. Fingerprints are taken and identity documents are submitted as published by the Centre. Once the original certificate is issued it is translated into English in full, including the text inside seals and endorsements, before being attached to the Australian authority's application.
Who this applies to
- • Australian visa applicants who must provide evidence for the character requirements.
- • Applicants for professional registration or a skills assessment where the assessing body asks for a criminal-history check.
- • Job or study applicants whose receiving institution asks for a check from each country of residence.
Documents to prepare
- • A valid passport plus a copy of the biographical data page.
- • Thai national ID card and house registration for Thai nationals.
- • Evidence of the reason for the request, such as a letter from the receiving authority or the visa application paperwork.
- • The application form and any further documents listed by the Centre at the time of lodgement.
Step by step
1. Check the Centre's current requirements
Read the document list, appointment channels and fees published by the Police Clearance Service Centre before travelling to lodge. Requirements and processing rounds are revised from time to time.
2. Lodge the application and give fingerprints
Submit the form with your identity documents and give fingerprints as directed. Check that the spelling of your name on the form matches your passport letter for letter.
3. Collect the original and check it
On collection, verify the name, date of birth, document number and date of issue. Any error must be corrected by the issuing authority; it cannot be corrected during translation.
4. Scan and send the whole document for translation
Scan in colour at high resolution, square to the page, with seals and signatures legible. Tell us the passport spelling of your name so the same form is used across the whole document set.
5. Review the draft and lodge
Review the draft translation before the final version is issued, then lodge the translation together with a copy of the original in the file format the receiving system requires.
Points to watch
- • Applying under a spelling that differs from the passport, leaving the document set inconsistent.
- • Requesting the certificate so far ahead of lodgement that it falls outside the validity window the receiving authority allows.
- • Sending phone photographs in which the seal cannot be read, which forces a re-scan and delays the file.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to attend in person?
Fingerprinting is normally done by the applicant in person. Lodging or collecting through a representative may be possible under the conditions and power of attorney the Centre publishes; check its current announcement.
How long does the certificate take?
Processing time is set by the Police Clearance Service Centre and varies with volume and the checks required. Rely on the Centre's published information at the time you lodge rather than on any third-party figure.
Does the translation have to be done in Australia?
Translations produced in Australia must come from a NAATI-certified translator. Translations produced outside Australia must show the translator's full name and contact details. Many applicants outside Australia still choose a NAATI-certified translation because it removes doubt at assessment.
Does the certificate also need consular legalisation?
For most Australian authorities a certified translation is enough. Legalisation by the Department of Consular Affairs becomes relevant when another country's authority receives the document or when the authority states it explicitly.
Related pages
Official source
Police Clearance Service Centre, Special Branch Bureau, Royal Thai Police
Content last reviewed: August 2026